Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matamoros Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Matamoros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,145 in Matamoros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,833 in Matamoros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,521 in Matamoros.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 12% less than in Matamoros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Matamoros 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$10.68 MX$186

-44.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$39.04 MX$681

-15.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.70 MX$134

-3.51%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.37 MX$58.8

-51.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.30 MX$22.61

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.91 MX$15.85

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.32 MX$40.44

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.99 MX$69.5

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.42 MX$24.77

-22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.50 MX$43.58

-49.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.63 MX$28.39

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.37 MX$41.38

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.92 MX$138

-43.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$7.95 MX$139

-27.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.65 MX$186

-15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.58 MX$44.95

-10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.46 MX$25.48

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.72 MX$30.02

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.60 MX$27.87

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.91 MX$33.38

-40.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.99 MX$34.69

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.20 MX$20.88

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.01 MX$17.62

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$4.29 MX$74.8

-48.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$10.50 MX$183

15.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.59 MX$27.75

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.73 MX$47.61

-9.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.65 MX$11.39

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$32.19 MX$561

29.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.64 MX$46.03

-46.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.60 MX$27.90

21.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$8.35 MX$146

-5.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.33 MX$23.17

-25.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.1K MX$368.7K

-16.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$22.3K MX$388.8K

20.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$56.7 MX$989

46.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$22.32 MX$389

-56.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$27.63 MX$482

-14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$35.54 MX$620

-28.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$16.00 MX$279

19.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.65 MX$81.1

-15.05%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 1.0M

$209 MX$3,639

51.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$3,121 MX$54.4K

91.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$53.9 MX$940

11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$40.42 MX$705

-21.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$90.7 MX$1,582

12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$78.3 MX$1,365

37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$501 MX$8,729

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$401 MX$6,996

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$936 MX$16.3K

-9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$767 MX$13.4K

-6.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,906 MX$33.2K

71.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,270 MX$22.2K

13.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.48

16.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Matamoros: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $501 in Matamoros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $39.00 in Matamoros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $248 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Matamoros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Matamoros. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,717 in Matamoros to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $501 in Matamoros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $39.00 in Matamoros. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,145 in Matamoros – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,145 in Matamoros, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Matamoros. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Matamoros. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.